Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-08-18
The Romance of a Horse-Car.

ed once and looked back with an ex-
preston of distress.
At that moment young swell who
sat next to me in the car touched my
arm and said politely: Excuse me,
sir, but did you not drop this2' at the
same time holding up dainty little
bocket-book of seal leather.
1t must be the young lady's who
just got OUT l exclaimed hastily, and
quicker than thought darted from
the car.
'Oh, l see you have got my pocket
book, was the girls delighted ex-
clamation as she came hurrying to-
ward rue.
My delight was changed to sorrow
when she nervously opened the purse
and found the money gone. For
moment 1 felt very much like con-
victed thief.
I'm very sorry / stammered. The
man who gave it to me looked like
suspicious character. How much was
in it?'
Three $50 notes. she said fearful
ly.
I felt like wretch.
If you will give me your address
l will put the matter in the hands of
the detectives, hastened to say.
Ninety four Lexington avenue she
replied.
why, l was gong to that address
myself today. Mother asked me to
see nursery governess. ..
Yes; my sister, she said, flushing
painfully. She is ambitious to make
little money
fastened to close the conversation,
knowing her heart was full, and I was
sorry for her
In the afternoon l called at the ad-
dress given, and was ushered by lit
tie boy into the parlor.
It's Jenny you wish to see, sup
pose he said, with that painful look
of maturity that sits so strangely upon
childhood. Jennie said she guessed
it was and she would be down in min
ute. She's counting up for father,
you see, father has been i'll long
time, most month now, and Bell,
what do you think Bell did today?' in
confidential whisper
She lost something, l suppose.
Indeed she did, she lost all poor
papa's salary. Somebody picked her
purse, you know, and she thinks it
was the man who gave it back to her,
the purse without any money in it;
and oh! made as If he was awful
sorry
Ofcourse, l hastened to prove that
it was quite impossible for the young
man to be the thief Just then Jenny |
came in and I told her / was the
young man who restored the purse to
her sister, at which she blushed and |
looked uncomfortable. I left, after
giving my mothers address, ani re-
questing her to call in the morning.
Mother took Jenny and pursued the
most sensible course, advanced the
$3.50 for six months. That brought
Bell to the house in fearful gratitude,
and then the poor child apologized for
her beautiful walking dress. Her
mother had sundry dresses of rich
material, though oldfashioned, be-
queathed by her aunt, who was too
angry to leave any money, and too
conscientious to quite forget her Out
of one of these, they being ample,
Bell had fashioned her walking dress
cutting, making and trimming it
herself, and it had cost her absolutely
nothing but the time, while the mate
rial was richer than any thing she
could afford.
i suppose it was foolish she said,
with tears in her eyes, to appear so
extensively dressed for one in my
station, but [ do so like to look we'll
and to be in the fashion. But, under
stand me, would have cut my hand
off before I would have taken money
from papa, and then to think that it
was lost through my carelessness, all
his two months salary
Mamma comforted her and told her
all about 1t.
Such sweet girl as she isl ex-
claimed mamma, after sitting in deep
thought; "a great deal hadsomer than
her mother was at her age; and to
think bow beautifully she made that
dress, she'd be a treasure to any man,
rich or poor.
Are you really in earnest, mama?'
1 asked. She looked up; looked
down, conscious enough, of course.
A week afterward Stackford came
to me with money intact.
Il traced the fellow by his yellow
kids up to yesterday, he said. He
picked the girls pocket, of course, had
a fancy ring and all the implements.
She must have sat beside him
He was killed in general fight in
loves coffee-house, accidentally, it is
supposed. l was there ten minutes
and recognized my man.
He had plenty of money about him,
but only these three ffties--all the
rest in small bills, threes, fives, ones.
Thought he'd wait while; thought
there wouldn't be mnch stir made